Lafayette gets a dose of old-fashioned politicking when candidates for elected office across the parish gather at the Horse Farm to make their pitches to voters. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26.

The Stump Speech at the Horse Farm is an unprecedented collaboration among local news media. The Independent, The Advertiser, The Acadiana Advocate, KADN, KATC, KLAF, KLFY, 96.5 KPEL and AOC have teamed up to give voters an intimate glimpse of the candidates for City-Parish Council, city-parish president, sheriff, assessor and state legislative seats. More than two dozen candidates have confirmed their participation.

The media collaboration that City Parish President Joey Durel built around Project Front Yard facilitated the spirit of cooperation that made The Stump Speech at the Horse Farm possible. “It was really the first time that all of us in the media had been recruited to commit collectively to such a massive community mission,” says Independent Co-Ppublisher Cherry Fisher May of Durel’s initiative. “After Project Front Yard proved it could be done, Daily Advertiser Publisher Judi Terzotis actively followed up with me and others to encourage another opportunity. And because of IberiaBank’s on-going commitment to The Independent’s Lecture Series, our events division had the resources to get the ball rolling.”

May credits AT&T’s Regional Director Donna Byrne with the idea for The Stump Speech. “Over lunch a year ago, Donna and I were talking about what an important election year 2015 would be,” explains May. “She mentioned how much she missed the old time town square gatherings where a community could congregate to hear from candidates, sometimes speaking from something as simple as a tree stump for a stage.” As the event took shape, AT&T added its support as a sponsor, and later Acadian Ambulance signed on as well.

The Stump Speech at the Horse Farm is a free event and coincides with the weekly farmer’s market.

1:30 p.m. Closing Remarks by City-Parish President Joey DurelCall to Voters by The Independent’s Walter Pierce

*Times are approximate.Candidates will draw straws to determine speaking order in each time slot.[Councilmen Kevin Naquin, unopposed in District 1, will be on tour with his band. Councilman William Theriot of District 9, also unopposed, did not respond to The Stump Speech’s invitation.]